Ice-cream freezer



Feb. 10. 1925- Y T. L. VALERIUS ICE CREAM FREEZER T5 Walezfzy'zz ,ymmmz wy;

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T. L. VALERIUS ICE CREAM FREEZER 5 Feb. 1o, 1925 Filed April 23, 1921 Feb. 10, 1925.

T. L. VALERIUS ICE CREAM FREEZER Patented Feb. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE L. VALERAIUS, OF FORT ATKINSON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CREAM- ERY vPACKAGE MFG. COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ICE-CREAM FREEZER.

Application led April 23, 1921. Serial No. 463,787.

To (./ZZ if/720m it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE L. VALERI- rs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Atkinson, in the county of Jefferson and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice- Cream Freezers, of which the following is a specilication.

The invention pertains to ice cream freez- U ers of the. type which is equipped with a feed or batch ytank adapted to discharge the mixture to be frozen into the freezing chamber.

The general aim of the invention is to provide a freezer having a batch tank automatically operable to measure the mixture` flowing from the mixer or storage tank, or other suitable source of supply, for discharge into the freezer cylinder in predetermined quantities.

The. invention involves the employment of means of an advantageous character for controlling the flow of the mixture to the batch tank by a tilting movement of the tank from a normal substantially horizontal position to an inclined or discharging position, and of means for holding the tank in its inclined position during the discharge of the mixture therefrom.

The objectsy of the invention thus generally stated, together with other and ancillary advantages, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, may be attained by the construction and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying Ldrawings forming part hereof, wherein Figure 1 is a, fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a .freezer equipped with my improved batch tank. F ig. 2 is a fragmentary end elevation, partially in section. Fig. 3 is an end view showing particularly one form of means for holding the tank in its discharging position. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illust-rating another form of the tank holding means, Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially in the plane of line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, 1 designates the cylinder of an ice cream freezer, and 2 indicates a tilta-ble batch tank normally supported in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and automatically operable when vthe level of the liquid flowing into the tank attains a predetermined heightto move into a discharging position. An inlet valve designated generally by the nmneral 3 is operable in such movement of the tank 2 to cut oif the flow of liquid to the tank. 4 is a valved outlet for the tank adapted to discharge into thel cylinder' inlet funnel shown at 5.

rlhe freezer herein shown is of the horizontal type, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular form of freezer since it is obvious that it may be of any suitable or preferred construction.

The batch tank 2 is mounted above the cylinder 1 upon al supporting frame 6. vAs shown in Figs. 2 and 3, said frame comprises a lower arcuate base portion 7 fitting over the. cylinder 1 and suitably secured thereto. Rising from the arcuate base portion 7 is an inverted U-shaped upright portion 8 which encircles the tank. A knife edge bearing 9 is provided for the tank, consisting of a. V-shaped bea-ring member 9a secured to the under side of the tank substantially centrally thereof and a V-notched bearing member 9b provided by the supporting frame 6. Normally the tank is supported in a substantially horizontal position, the end of the tank opposite the discharge end being in this position supported by a member 10 also mounted upon the upper surface of the freezer cylinder 1. For supporting the opposite end of the tank when the latter is in its inclined or discharging position. there is provided a supporting member 11 of substantially less height than the member 10 and also carried by the cylinder 1. For the. purpose of normally maintaining the tank in its horizontal -or filling position. an adjustable counterbalancing device 12 may be provided (F ig. 1) at the end of the tank opposite the discharge end. rFhis device consists of a horizontal arm 1'2a secured to and extending laterally from the tank and a shiftable weight 12h carried by the arm 12,

The filling valve 3 comprises a casing 13 having a vertically movable valve in the form of a disk 14 operable in its lower portion, the casing providing a seat 15 upon which the valve is normally adapted to rest, and a guideway 16 for radial wings 17Y and 17'a rigid with and depending from the valve casing is clamped the boss' 22. 'A discharge pipe 24 leading from a mixer or an elevated storage tank,l isentered into the neck 20. Preferably'the casing 13 1s made sectional lini'form, being divided horizontally to form anupper section and a lower section. Said sections are preferably secured together by means ofpivot'edbolts. 25 entered in regis# tering Vslots in'lthe two vsections and provided with wing nuts26flor detachably securing the twosect'ions together;

Wlien'thetank 2 is in itsinormal or horizontal: position, thewalve'diskf14 Ais held raised from'its seat 151by means of an arm 27`rigid'with the tank and having a bearing engagement with the wing 1'7a depending fromthedisk 14." Herein the varm 27 is-ixed at its'low'er Vend to'theibottom of the tank 2, and its upper end fis bifurcated to receive a roller' 2S-"adaptedto engage with the lower edge of the. wing 17a. 'As shown in Fig. 1 said llower edge of the wing 172L is inclined as at.17b upwardly toward .the discharge end of the tank. Thus it will vbe apparent that when the tank tilts from its normalhorizontalposition .to its inclined .or discharging position, the valve, riding upon the roller 28,

is permitted 'to descend, the 'arrangement being 'suchthat when the tank has :reached its discharging position/fthe valve disk 14 rests upon. itsseatfl Ato lcutv off the flow of the mixture into the tank. Near'its upper end the arm 27 passes through a flanged collar 7V which is secured upon t-he upper side of the screening element29a of a strainer 29 removably supported in the upper portion of the tank. L To permit 'of the removal of the strainer, the upper'end of the arm 27 is tapered, the roller 28 being made of a diameter equal to or less thanthe width or thickness ofthe arm 27. Normally the lower or discharge endof .the casing 13 depends into thestrainer 31 'and surrounds'thefupper -end of the arm 27 -When,- therefore, the strainer is tofbe removed, the lower portioni oit the casing is. irst detached" by"'loosening1 the thumb nuts 26 and A'disengaging the bolts 25.

`ldithinlthei upper. portion :of the .tank at the end' thereofV opposite the valvedoutlet, there is. provided a displacement c=l1amber30 which is so arranged that 'whenthe' level of the liquid or mixture rising in the tan-k12l attains a'v height Ydetermined -by the adjustment. of the c'ounterbalaneing device 12.. the

relatively greatervolume of the. liquid in the opposite end of the tank causes the latter to tilt upon its bearing 9 into a discharging position in which itrests upon;thesupporting member 11,Y inclined downwardly inthe direction vof the valved outlet toward which VIthe mixture thus flows freely. In this movement of the vtank the valved .outlet .4 enters the funnel 5 which constitutes lthe inlet openingi'or `the freezing chamber, and the valve is manually operated to permit the liquid in -the Vbatch tank v2 `to flow into the freezer 4low the. verticalV portion 33 of the casing .and

is provided with a bayonet slot 35. Theupright portion36 of the slot (Fig. v3.) l is adapted, when thevalve is in its closedposition to Y receive a pin 37 carried by an upstanding lug 38 at one side of the funnel 5 and projecting radially inward Athrough the `funnel g' and 4when the: valve member is rotated to permit the discharge of the mixture, the pin enters the vhorizontal .portion 36a of the slotV and thus locks the tankzin its inclined position. For enabling the operation 'of the valve member 32 it is provided with a handle 39 above the casing 33.( A'fruit feed funnel 40 isfcarried by the upper end ,of the valve member 32.

The operation ot' .my improved batch measuring device will, itV is thought, be readily understood. The mixture flows into the tank by way of a vva-'lved inlet 3 until itsl level reaches a'heightdete'rmined byfthe position of the weight. 12b of Athe counterbalancing device, and when a su'Hic-ient quantityv of the liquid has been displaced to overcome the counterbalancing `effect of the weight, the `.tank tilts upon its bearing 9 into `its inclined-discharging position. In this move-ment, the valved inlet 3 is .closed by the descent of the valvemember 14 as permitted by the arm 27', and the tank is locked in its discharging `.position in the operation of the valve member 32 into its .open;position.. IVhen the-'mixture hasY been discharged from the `tank 2'and it is desired to refill the tank with a newxcharge or batch, the yoperator .manipulates the` valve member 32 into its closed position, whereupon the tank resumes. it'snormal horizontal position. Y

:ln such return movement of Vthe tank, thev inlet valve ymember 14 is opened and the mixture flows into the tankuntil the latter Lisag'ainitilted as before.

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In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a modified form of means for holding the tank in its discharging position. This means comprises a counterbalancing device which is movable, upon the tilting of the tank into its discharging position, from a normal position in which it serves toy hold the tank in horizontal position to a holding position at the opposite end of the tank. Thus it comprises a pair of rods 41 rigidly mounted upon one side wall of the tank 2, as by means of end brackets 42 and 43, in spaced relation so as to provide tracks for grooved rollers 44 operatively connected by a pair of spaced links 45 and constituting counterbalancing weights, An adjustable stop member 46 is mounted upon the rods 4l and is held` in various positions of adjustment by means of a stop screw 4T threaded into the bracket 453. It will be apparent that by adjusting the position of the stop 46 the height to which the liquid inthe tank will rise before the latter is tilted may be readily varied at will; and when the tank is tilted, the rollers move to the opposite end thereof and are stopped by engagement with the bracket 42 which is suitably shaped for this purpose. After the liquid has been emptied from the tank the operator, in order to restore the lat-ter to its filling position, causes the counterbalancing device to move to its initial position at the opposite end of the tank.

Crushed fruit or the like may be introduced into the freezing cylinder at any desired stage of the freezing operation, as the hollow valve plug 32 is in operative relation to the inlet 5 in either portion of the tank.

It wil be seen that I have provided a device by means of which the quantity of mixture constituting the batch to be discharged into the freezing chamber may be readily determined with accuracy and uniformity. The construction is relatively simple and of a practical and advantageous character. and lends itself readily to the convenient operation of the freezer.

It is to be understood that while the invention has been herein illustrated and described with considerable particularity, it is contemplated that va 1ious changes may be made in form, arrangement and construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

I claim as my invention l. An ice cream freezer having, in conibination, a horizontal cylinder provided near one end with an inlet opening, a supporting frame mounted upon the cylinder substantially centrally thereof, a batch tank having a valved outlet adapted to discharge into the cylinder inlet, supporting means for the tank including a pivotal bearing provided between said frame and said tank ,substantially centrally of the latter, a filling valve for the tank supported by said frame so as to discharge into the tank, a displacement chamber in the tank opposite the discharge end thereof and operable when the liquid flowing' into the tank rises to a predetermined level to cause the tank to tilt on its bearings toward the discharge end thereof into an inclined position, and means operable in the. tilting movement of the tank to close the filling valve.

2. The combination with an ice cream freezer having a horizontal cylinder provided near one end with an inlet opening, a supporting frame mounted upon the cylinder substantially centrally thereof, a batch tank having a valved outlet adapted to discharge into the cylinder inlet, supporting means for the tank including pivotal bearing provided between said frame and said tank substantially centrally of the latter, a filling valve for the tank supported by said frame so as to discharge into the tank, a displacement chamber in the tank opposite the discharge end thereof and operable when the liquid flowing into the tank rises to a predetermined level to cause the tank to tilt toward the discharge end thereof1 into an inclined position, means operable in the tilting movement of the tank to close the filling valve, and a counterbalancing device for the tank, adjustable to vary the quantity of mixture flowing to the tank,

3. The combination with an ice cream freezer having a horizontal cylinder provided near one end with an inlet opening, a supporting frame mounted upon the cylinder substantially centrally thereof, a batch tank having a valved outlet adapted to dis charge into the cylinder outlet, supporting means for the tank including a pivotal hearing provided between said frame and said tank substantially centrally of the latter, a filling valve for the tank supported by said frame so as to discharge into the tank, a dis placement chamber in the tank opposite tin discharge end thereof and operable when the liquid flowing into the tank rises to a predetermined level to cause the tank to till, on its bearing toward the discharge end` thereof, means operable in the tilting movement of the tank to close the filling valve, and means to hold the tank in its tilted po` sition while the liquid is discharged. into the freezer cylinder.

4. The combination of an ice cream freezer cylinder, a tiltable tank mounted on said cylinder, valved means for discharging the mixture to be frozen into said tank, said tank having a valved outlet arranged to discharge into said cylinder, means comprising a displacement chamber in said tank for causing the latter to tilt into an inclined po sition toward said outlet when a predetcr mined quantity of the mixture has iiowed into the tank, and means operable in the Cil tilting movement of thetank to cut off the flow-of mixture to the tank.

5. rIhe combination of an ice creamffreezei cylinder, a tiltable tank mounted o n said cylinder, valved means-for discharging the mixture to be frozenfinto said tank, said tank having a valved-outlet arranged t discharge into said cylinder, means comprisinga displacement chamber'in said tank foi causing the latter to tilt when a predetermined quantity of the mixture has flowed intoV the tank, meansy operable in the tilting movement of thetank to cut off the iow oi' mixture to the tank, and means for holding the tank in its tilted position while the mixture is being dischargedtherefrom.

6.A The combination of an ice cream freezer cylinder, a tiltable tank mounted on said cylinder, valved means for discharging the mixture to befrozen into said tank, sai tank having a valved out-let arranged to discharge into said cylinder., means comprising a displacement chamber in` said tank lfor causing Vthe latter totilt when a predetermined' quantity of the mixture has flowed into the tank, means operable in the 4tilting movement yof the tank to cut off the flow Vof mixture to the tank, and a counterbalancing means for controlling the movements of the tank.

7. The combination of anice cream freezer cylinder, a tiltable tank mounted o n said cylinder, valved -means for vdischarging the mixture to be frozen into said tank, said tank having a valved outlet arranged to discharge into said cylinder, means comprising a displacement chamber4 in said tank for causing the latter to tilt when va predetermined quantity of the mixture has flowed int-o the tank, meansv operable in the tilting movement of the tank to out off the flow of mixture to the tank, a counterbalancing means for controlling the movement of the tank ,in one direction, and means for locking the tankagainst movement in the opposite direction during the Vdischarge of liquid from the tank. Y

8. In an ice cream freezer, the combination of a cylinder, a tiltable batch tank mounted upon the cylinder and having `a valved outlet adapted to discharge -intothe cylinder, valve means controlling a flow of mixture into said tank, means adapted to effect the tilting movement of the tank by the mix-ture when the level ofthe mixture attains a predetermined height in the tank, said valve means comprising a casing, a valve member normally tending to close the passageway through the casing, and a memberV carried by the tank and having an operative connection "with said valve member so as to maintain it in its yraisedposition in the normal position of the tank but permitting it to move into closed position in the tilted o r discharging'-'position.of the tank.'-

9. In any ice cream freezer, the combination ofva freezingchamber having an inlet, a batch tank -mounted above said chamber and having an outlet arranged to discharge into said Vchamber inlet, `valve-controlled means for discharging mixture into said tank, said` valve means comprising a valve member, a casing in which'said valve member is operable, said casingv comprising an upper section and a lower section,the lower` section depending into said tank, means whereby said tank is caused to tilt when the level of the mixture therein attains a predetermined height, and means for causing said valve member to move into its closed Vposition upon such tilting movement of the tank comprising an arm rigid with tlievtank andprotruding upwardly into the lower lend of said valve casing and into gperative engagement with said valve mem- 10. `Inan ice cream` freezer, the combination of a freezing chamber, a'batch tank, means -providing ra pivotal bearing for-tiltably supporting said tank, a valved outlet at one end of the tank adapted to discharge into the freeezing chamber, valve-'controlled means for discharging the mixture to be frozen into said tank, a displacement chamber in the end of said tank opposite the valved outlet adapted when the level of the liquid attains a predetermined height in Y the tank to cause the tank to tilt, and means operable in the tilting movement ofy the tank to actuate said valve means to cut olf the iiow of mixture to the tank. e

11. In an ice cream freezer, the combination of'afreezing chamber, a batch tank, asupport providing a pivotal bearing for tiltably supporting said tank, a valved outlet at one end of the tank adapted to discharge into the freezing chamber, valvecontrolled means for discharging the mixture to be frozen into said tank, means in said tank eifective when a predetermined quantity of the mixture has flowed into the Vtank to displace a portion thereof and cause the tank to tilt, said valve means being Operable in the tilting movement of the tank to cut off the flow of mixture thereto, vandcounter-balancing means for the tankadjustable to vary the quantity of the mixture necessary to effect the tilting of the tank.

12. In an ice cream freezer, theV combination of a tiltable batch tank having an outlet adapted to'discharge into the freezing; chamber, a valve for controlling said outlet, valve-controlled means for discharging'the mixture to be frozen into the tank, said means being operable in the tilting movements of thertank,rand means for locking the tank in its discharging position comprising a slot in the outlet valve mem-V ber and a stationary pin for entering said slot, said pin being adapted when the valve member is moved into its open position to prevent a reverse movement of the tank.

13. In an ice cream freezer, the combination of a freezing chamber having a filling opening, a batch tank tiltable With reference to the cylinder and having an outlet opening adapted to discharge into said fill ing opening, a rotary valve member for controlling said outlet opening, valve-controlled means adapted to discharge the liquid to be frozen into the tank, said means being automatically controlled by the tilting movement of the tank, and means for locking the tank in its discharging position comprising a pin and slot connection between said valve member and said chamber.

14. In an ice cream freezer, the combination of a tiltable batch tank having an out- "let adapted to discharge into the freezing chamber, valve-means controlling the inlet to said tank operable in the norma-l posi tion of the tank to discharge the mixture to be frozen into the tank and to cutoE such flow of the mixture in the tilted position of the tank, means for automatically effecting such tilting movement of the tank, and a counterbalancing device adapted to control the movements of the tank in either direction.

15. In an ice cream freezer, the combination of a horizontal cylinder having a filling opening, a batch tank mounted to tilt with reference to said cylinder and having a valved outlet opening, valve-controlled means for discharging the mixture to be frozen into said tank, means for effecting the tilting movement of the tank, said valve controlled means being operable to cut olf the flow of mixture to the tank when the latter is tilted, and a counterbalancing device for the tank comprising a pair of track members mounted upon the tank longitudinally thereof, a roller guided by said track members for movement from one side of the axis of the tank to the other, and an adjustable stop for determining the position of the roller at one end of the tank.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

THEODORE L. VALERIUS. 

